


Relics Of Marble And Gold

by ImogenSmiley



Series: Reigisa [4]
Category: Free!
Genre: Anger, Angst, Canon Compliant, Confrontation, Crushes, Frustration, Implied One-Sided Rei Ryuugazaki/ Nagisa Hazuki, Jealousy, M/M, Mutual Pining, Past Hazuki Nagisa/ Matsuoka Rin - Freeform, Pining, Pre-Regionals, Set During Canon, Writemas, argument, season one, writemas 2019
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-04
Updated: 2019-12-04
Packaged: 2021-02-25 20:53:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,198
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21671773
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ImogenSmiley/pseuds/ImogenSmiley
Summary: Rei went to Samezuka Academy and met with Rin during his practice. He made his opinions very clear. But there was more to his frustrations than his teammates’ plight. But articulating his issues was another thing entirely.
Relationships: Hazuki Nagisa & Ryuugazaki Rei, Hazuki Nagisa/Ryuugazaki Rei, Past Hazuki Nagisa/ Matsuoka Rin
Series: Reigisa [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1531475
Kudos: 12





	Relics Of Marble And Gold

Meeting Rin Matsouka awakened something that Rei had never allowed himself to express. Though their first meeting had been fleeting, Rin certainly knew how to make an impression. And the thoughts stuck with Rei. Sure he’d felt this before, usually in fits of anguish, but never let harsh words escape his mouth. He’d written and burned many angry feelings in a rage-fuelled fit of cathartics. But this had been the first time he allowed himself to speak up.

“I don’t understand why you’re still so het up on Rin-chan-san,” Rei had mumbled to Nagisa on the train home, “Why all of you are still hung up on him.”

Nagisa, to his credit, wasn’t venomous back. Instead, he drew a finger to pursed lips and allowed a small smile to cross his face. He nodded to his best friend, “The sight I saw with Haru-chan, Mako-chan and Rin-chan still comes to me. I wish I had the chance to see it again, sometimes. It really was something magic.”

“The sight?” Rei said, wrinkling his nose, “I don’t understand.”

“There was something there with us, something our team doesn’t have yet. And Rei-chan, I promise, that if I knew what it was, I’d tell you, but I just don’t know.”

Rei frowned, turning away from the blond.

His legs trembled as he sat on the train, glaring out the window. He took short, shallow breaths, doing his best to stay quiet, but he couldn’t silence the rampant thoughts raging in his skull. It was a relay when they were like ten. How – how did it have so much meaning to him, it didn’t make sense.

Nagisa had confided in him that he and Rin had been together when they were small, and for some reason, that Rei couldn’t comprehend, that just seemed to make it worse. Rei ground his teeth and glared at the window.

He exhaled, balling a fist, knowing that something had to be done.

Which was how Rei Ryugazaki found himself signing the visitor’s form at the Samezuka Academy Visitor’s Admission’s Office. He remembered how to get to the pool-house and he was apprehensive to speak with him. He wasn’t sure if he would even be able to. After all, Rin could just walk away and tell him to fuck off.

Rei had managed to get the Samezuka captain, Mikoshiba Seijuro, to allow Rin outside for a brief chat. A brief chat that ended up being very long, and loud.

“What is your problem? This is none of your business!”

“It’s impacting my team, and they can’t seem to confront you about it? Why can’t what’s happened be enough for you? You shouldn’t have to take away their happiness any more than you already have! You beat Haruka-senpai in the 100m free, you have no need to beat your former teammates in the relay too!”

Rin huffed, “Why do you care? You’re just the one in my spot.”

Rei had known that Rin wasn’t a fan, he’d commented on his lack of form in passing, and made it clear that he wasn’t impressed. But the insult he’d been dealt wasn’t enough to upset him. Instead, he made a fist, “Please don’t misunderstand me, Rin-chan-san. All they talk about is Rin-chan, Rin-chan, Rin-chan. And you don’t seem to care!”

Rin glared at Rei, gritting his own teeth, “Why should I care?”

“Because Nagisa-kun told me,” Rei declared. He paused, watching for a reaction. Rin’s body had tensed, and Rei took that as a good sign. He could do this, “He told me about that relay. He told me about everything. See, I’m just as much a part of this team as you were.”

Rin glared at him and took a step away.

“Don’t underestimate me, Rin-chan-san. When we meet at Regionals I have no doubt in my mind that I’ll beat you.”

Rin snorted, turning his nose up at Rei, “Say what you want, you’ll lose.”

Rei smiled, “I don’t think I will.”

“Matsouka! Come back inside!”

Rin glared at Rei but trudged back to his own practice as the blue haired boy strode off-campus, his head held high. He’d succeeded. He’d made a statement.

He hadn’t expected his teammates to be so dumbfounded, probably because he had such a generally nervous disposition, or the fact that Rin stood taller than Rei, was more muscular and very clearly had a temper, and there wasn’t a scratch on him.

They’d been sat together on the roof, eating lunch as a team. They hadn’t spoken much since they started eating, all too preoccupied with trying to keep hold of their food in the breeze and avoiding getting hair in their mouths. Nagisa had a piece of red pepper between his chopsticks, brows furrowed in concentration as the wind blew his bangs back into his face. He’d wailed in frustration, and after he’d successfully munched the last piece of his pepper, had Rei been courteous to inform them of his visit to Samezuka Academy.

Explaining the events of the exchange had been simple. His friends’ jaws hung slack, none finding the words to question him. Instead, the other four members of the swim club, including Rin’s younger sister, gaped up at him. Gou had very clearly drawn her freshly painted nails to her arm and pinched the skin of her upper arm, just to see if this was all real.

They were silent for a while, but eventually, the cogs began to turn in their heads and the questions started. Nagisa had been the first one to express concern for his best friend and his safety. What if Rin-chan had punched him, or hurt him, or done something horrible?

Makoto spoke next, not giving Rei a chance to reassure Nagisa that he would have been fine had Rin decided to lash out. He’d insisted that Rei hadn’t needed to do that, he had no reason to confront him like that, and he didn’t understand why he’d go out of his way to do that.

Rei had put a comforting hand on Nagisa’s shoulder and smiled at him, “I just thought he ought to know that we’re going to show him a new sight, one that’s beautiful in a new way.”

Nagisa had leaned into Rei’s touch and hugged him, “Wow Rei-chan you’re so eloquent! You really think we’re going to manage to do something like that?”

A faint dusting of blush stained Rei’s cheeks as Nagisa squeezed him. A warm smile crossed his lips and he leaned, just slightly, into the contact as well. He pushed up his glasses and beamed, “Absolutely. We’re a team and we’ll do well in the competition. There’s no doubt in my mind.”

Gou had opened her mouth, ready to interject but Nagisa shot her a hasty glance from where he sat beside Rei.

He wanted Rei confident. It made things easier when he wasn’t trembling with anxiety. There was plenty of time before the tournament for him to freak out and he’d rather the worries not begin when it was still weeks away.

She nodded, knowingly, closing her eyes and mouth, reaching for her water bottle.

Nagisa smiled up at Rei, and didn’t move away.


End file.
